Ludacris is one of the hardest working men in hip hop. While the Atlanta rapper is prepping his forthcoming album Ludaversal for a late 2011 release, he's kept busy throughout the year with a myriad of business ventures and high-profile appearances.

He made sure his presence was felt throughout pop culture, despite what could be described as a 'quiet' year for one of hip hop's most recognized artists.

Ludacris performed at the 2011 Serengeti festival in Tanzania and at the 2011 Country Music Television Awards, taking the stage with country star Jason Aldean to perform a remix of Aldean's hit "Dirt Road." With his acting career also a top priority, Luda appeared in the blockbuster sequel Fast 5 in the spring

Ever the entrepreneur, Luda unveiled his SOUL headphones at CES in January of 2011. The headphones were actually ranked ahead of fellow rapper Dr. Dre's popular "Beats By Dre" line in Consumer Reports magazine's headphone/audio edition.

The rapper was even invited to speak at a special event with Al Pacino celebrating the release of the classic gangster film Scarface on Blu Ray.